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Browns could be bears - Steeler Nation
Browns could be bears
http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal...ars/?page=full
Stallworth says they'll make noise
By Christopher L.
Gasper, Globe Staff | July 13, 2008
Donte' Stallworth is a man of many pursuits.
But when it came to being pursued in free agency, Stallworth wanted a suitor that could provide more than just the most cash;
He wanted a team that had a wealth of talent as well.
Stallworth, who became a free agent when the Patriots elected not to pick up $8 million in roster bonuses, landed in the land of Lake Erie, LeBron James, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, catching on with the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns went 10-6 last season - their best record since being reincarnated in Cleveland in 1999 - and narrowly missed the playoffs.
After adding Stallworth, who signed a seven-year, $35 million deal, and reinforcing the interior of its 3-4 defense by trading for space-eaters Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, coach Romeo Crennel's crew appears ready to challenge for AFC North supremacy, and maybe more.
The NFL thinks so.
Cleveland is slated to make five prime-time appearances this year.
"I've been kind of joking with Randy [Moss] and some of the guys that the road to the Super Bowl goes through Cleveland," said Stallworth, who said he turned down more money from a noncontender.
In his lone season as a Patriot, Stallworth started nine games and had 46 receptions for 697 yards and three touchdowns, but he didn't make the impact many expected when he signed as a free agent from Philadelphia.
No hard feelings.
He said the Patriots were upfront with him about not triggering the rest of his contract, and he was grateful for the opportunity to be part of the NFL's first 16-0 regular season.
However, the Browns, who open training camp July 23, are counting on Stallworth, 27, to return to the form he showed with the Eagles in 2006, when he averaged 19.1 yards per catch.
With Joe Jurevicius recently having his fourth surgery on his right knee, Cleveland needs the free-spirited Stallworth to step in opposite Pro Bowl wideout Braylon Edwards, a friend of Stallworth's who campaigned for the Browns to sign him.
Cleveland's offense could be Patriot-esque.
Edwards, tight end Kellen Winslow, quarterback Derek Anderson, and left tackle Joe Thomas all went to the Pro Bowl last season.
The team re-signed running back Jamal Lewis (1,304 yards in 2007), and if Anderson falters, Brady Quinn is waiting in the wings.
"I'm really excited about this offense;
Personally, I'll do more things than I've done in the past," said Stallworth.
"I'll run some downfield routes, kind of like what I was doing in Philly.
Just the prospect of adding that back to my game is something interesting."
That's not to say that Stallworth felt misused in New England.
"Josh [McDaniels] is a very, very, very smart offensive coordinator, and he's going to be a really good head coach one day," said Stallworth.
"I had no problems with the role I was put in.
Would I have liked to run more downfield routes?
Yeah. But if you have me and Randy, who are you going to pick?
Randy is a freak of nature.
He's a player who comes around every 50 years.
I bought in. My only problem with last year is the last game - we didn't win."
Stallworth already has noticed similarities between the way Crennel, who won three Super Bowls as the Patriots' defensive coordinator before becoming Browns boss in 2005, conducts practices and Bill Belichick runs Patriots practices.
Long-suffering Browns fans are hoping the similarities don't stop there.
"I think everybody has got the belief that this could be a special season for us," said Stallworth.
"But there are no guarantees.
I learned that from last year."
Situation pits brother against brother
The ownership intrigue swirling around the Pittsburgh Steelers could result in one of the NFL's flagship franchises no longer being controlled by one of its most storied families, the Rooneys, who have owned the team since its inception in 1933.
At the heart of the matter, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, is a family feud between the five Rooney brothers, each of whom owns a 16 percent share of the team (the other 20 percent belongs to the McGinley family).
Steelers chairman Dan Rooney, one of the NFL's most influential individuals, tried to buy out his brothers to comply with the NFL's rule that states a principal owner must own at least 30 percent of the team (20 percent, if the other 10 percent is owned by an immediate family member) and that no owner of an interest in an NFL club may own any interest in a gambling casino, which by NFL terms includes card rooms.
The Steelers had been grandfathered in on both rules.
Tim, Pat, and John Rooney are involved in the family's interest in horse racing and dog tracks that have poker tables.
Dan Rooney tried to buy out his brothers, but those involved in racing enterprises and the oldest brother, Art Jr., felt Dan Rooney undervalued their shares, and hired the investment firm Goldman Sachs, which valued the Steelers franchise at as much as $1.2 billion, to solicit offers.
Billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller, whom Forbes valued at $3.5 billion, emerged as a potential buyer of the four Rooney brothers' shares, which would give him majority ownership.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an e-mail that the NFL's goal is "to produce an intrafamily transfer that will address three ownership issues," identified as succession planning, gambling policy, and the 30 percent rule, "and keep the team in the Rooney family."
Speak up
"You can be the best team in the league and not win it.
Nine times out of 10 we win that game, but it didn't matter.
They won it on the only day it was played, the only day it mattered.
I talk to some of those guys, and I'm not going to name names, but they knew we were the better team.
We should have won, but they were on their way up and we had already peaked."
- Former Patriot Donte' Stallworth on New England's 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII
By the numbers
15
As in July 15, the deadline for teams to reach long-term agreements with their franchise-tagged players.
After the deadline, teams can't sign their franchise players to long-term deals until after the regular season.
12
Players who received the franchise tag this offseason, according to the NFL Players Association.
2
As of Friday, franchised players who had reached long-term deals with their teams (cornerback Marcus Trufant of the Seahawks and tight end Dallas Clark of the Colts).
Defensive end Jared Allen (Chiefs to Vikings) and defensive tackle Corey Williams (Packers to Browns) reached deals after they were traded.
THE LIST: THERES NO PLACE LIKE...
As teams open training camp, starting with the Jets, who will welcome rookies on Wednesday, here is a list of franchises with the longest-running training camp sites:
Team Location Years
Packers St.
Norbert College, De Pere, Wis.
51
Vikings Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minn.
42
Steelers Saint Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa.
42
Jets Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.
40
Etc.
Beware of watchdog: The NFL is serious about preventing teams from engaging in the kind of electronic espionage that spawned the "Spygate" saga.
Last Tuesday, the league hired Pennsylvania State Police commissioner Jeffrey Miller for the newly created role of NFL director of strategic security.
Among the duties for the 45-year-old Miller, who oversaw the investigation of a 2006 shooting rampage at an Amish schoolhouse, will be monitoring the use of electronic equipment by clubs (and the league) during games .
. . New Patriots Hall of Fame inductee Ben Coates said he'd like to get back into the NFL as a coach.
Coates was the Browns' tight ends coach from 2005-06 before he was fired in a coaching purge.
Coates said he spent last fall coaching high school football in Greenville, S.C.
"For right now, I like what I am doing, but ultimately I want to get back into the NFL," said Coates.
"I would like to get back involved in helping guys out playing the position that I played, and try to get somebody to be better than me."
He's ready to carry on: Whoever ends up winning the Dolphins' quarterback derby will benefit from having running back Ronnie Brown in the backfield.
Brown was coming off four straight 100-yard rushing performances and leading the NFL in total yards from scrimmage last season when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee against the Patriots Oct.
21. He hopes to be cleared for contact when the Dolphins open camp July 26.
"I feel good, feel no hesitation," Brown told the Miami Herald earlier this month .
. . Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez made the biggest catch of his life July 3 at a Huntington Beach, Calif., restaurant.
Gonzalez noticed that a fellow patron, Ken Hunter, was choking on a piece of meat and administered the Heimlich maneuver to save him.
Less size, more hope: Word out of Tennessee is that overweight wide receiver Mike Williams has dropped 30 pounds and is looking more like the player who was drafted 10th overall by the Lions in 2005.
Williams was a monumental disappointment in his first three seasons and is already with his third team;
The Titans signed him after he was cut by the Raiders last October.
However, the former Southern Cal star is still just 24.
He has time to live up to his potential and give quarterback Vince Young the No.
1 receiver he lacks .
. . Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu pleaded guilty last Monday to driving under the influence and apologized for his conduct.
He was sentenced to one day in jail and ordered to pay fines and court costs totaling $1,255.
Tatupu, the son of former Patriots fullback Mosi Tatupu, was arrested May 10 by Kirkland (Wash.) police.
Breathalyzer tests revealed his blood-alcohol content at 0.155 and 0.158, nearly double the legal limit in Washington.
The Seahawks signed Tatupu, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, to a six-year, $42 million contract extension in March.
Christopher L.
Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com;
Material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.
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Or, they could be DaBearss....
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Quote: : Browns could be bears more likely they'll be well...the browns.
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Good luck getting that defense off the field, Donte.
Edwards and Winslow are also such injury liabilities, I cannot understand this level of optimism.
I just really don't get it.
Oh well.
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Quote: : Good luck getting that defense off the field, Donte.
Edwards and Winslow are also such injury liabilities, I cannot understand this level of optimism.
I just really don't get it.
Oh well. Braylon played in all 16 games 2 of his 3 seasons.
He tore his ACL as a rookie.
He didn't miss a game due to injury at all during college.
Winslow on the other hand...
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Stallworth, Winslow, & Jamal Lewis have all had injury problems in their careers.
The Browneyes better worry about that defense.
They're pretty sorry.
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Quote: : Stallworth, Winslow, & Jamal Lewis have all had injury problems in their careers.
The Browneyes better worry about that defense.
They're pretty sorry.
Thats for damn sure.
Local media here keeps talking about that D-line.
The secondary was bad last year.
I hate giving props to any Brown but Bodden was a very solid starting CB.
I wouldn't have traded Bodden for Rogers straight up, and they threw in an early pick as well.
Silly Brownies...
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Injury prone players that if not in line up big loss
Rogers
Winslow
Stalworth
Lewis
any one of these guys get hurt and the back up is no where near the talent of each, think of Donte is to get hurt which is almiost a given Joe J....
Can fill in, but for the big 3 not so well.
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If a bear shits on a football field in Cleveland, what color is the excrement?
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Ya know I seem to remember that the Bungles did well a few years ago and now look at them.
Same with the Ravens.
So what the hell is everybody thinking.
The freggin Turds had one good season and everybody seems to think that we are just going to go away now.
I am getting so sick of this crap.
They will not do well this year.
Last year they had an easy schedule.
They don't stand a chance.
Infact I am willing to bet they finish last in the division this year.
Nobody will take them lightly like they did last year.
Mark it down on your calander they will finish 6-10 if they are lucky!
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They didn't even have a good season.
They rode an easy schedule to be 10-6.
They only beat 1 playoff team, a very weak Seattle, @ home.
I want to see them compete against the elite teams in the AFC before I'll buy them as a contender.
Hell I dont even think they have as much talents as Cincy.
I wouldn't be suprised at all to see the Browns back below .500 and possibly the bottom of the division.
I dont buy into their defense and Im not sold on Anderson being a top notch QB or Lewis being able to handle the load again.
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The Clowns are facing a murderous schedule (as are all of the teams in the AFC North).
They don't have the depth to make it through.
7-9 will be their record, tied with the real Browns.
The Bungles will bounce back and finish with their regular 8-8 record.
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Just wondering why they would want to compare themselves to Da Bears Who got their ass stomped by The Ultimate Choker Peyton Manning.
They barely made it there and sharp decline after doing so..
Had been living on Defense and little offense...yeah wh weeee that's a franchise to copy uh huh.
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6-10probable nbut not last in the div
Pittsburgh 11-5
Cleveland 7-9
Cincinnati 6-10
Baltimore 5-11
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This yeras Cleveland teams reminds me of the Bungholes team a few years ago when they suprisingly took the division.
Their season ended when and by whom, the eventual Champs?
I expect to see more of the same this year if the Stains can actually even contend..
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The steelers could be 9-7 and win this division this year.
As long as continue to sweep the browns and bungals.
And split the ravens like always, no problem winning the division
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Keep that chest pumping going Donte because it won't last once the regular season starts in 2008.
By the way Stallworth the Brownies defense still SUCKS and will not be able to stop anyone when needed.
Can't wait to see the Brownies fall real fast.
Enjoy your media highlight right now.
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Browns priorities:
1.
Beat the Steelers at least once in the season
2.
Have a winning record
3.
Qualify for the playoffs
4.
Win the Division
5.
Win a playoff game.
Their record is accomplishing any of these is weak.
They did go 10-6 last season, but they will not sneak up on anybody this year.
If the Browns have problems, they can put Quinn in the lineup ....
This in all likelyhood means they are losing games, which does not match up with any of the above five priorities.
How many rimes do the hard schedules turn into cream puff schedules and vise versa?
What was Ben's record the lasst time we played the teams on this years schedule?
After considering the above, no doubt in my mind the Steelers win the Division.
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I want to see Anderson throw deep routes to stallworth with Woodley and Silverback putting him on his lilly ass.
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You have to love the amount of excitement ...
For a team that did not even make the playoffs.
I am not saying they won't be good, but you rarely see so much fanfare for a team's prior performance when that performance wasn't even enough to get in the playoffs.
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